STK Steakhouse – Possibly the Strangest Marketing Campaign Ever?

This is the most surreal marketing campaign I’ve ever seen for a restaurant. Along with a tag line of “This ain’t your daddies steak house” and a website which looks like the bastard child of a fashion magazine, soft porn, and a fetish club. The website proudly states “Unwind and feel the energy at STK, London’s latest female friendly dining experience”.

I have shown this to various people in the last week to much bemusement, amusement and bewilderment (including the co-owner of MASH, another recent entrant on the London steakhouse scene). In general women seem to be rather offended by this video clip and men are rather confused.

Feedback includes;

“Is this a lesbian club?”

“Is this a joke?”

“What the f&*k were they thinking?”

“Is it also a strip club?”

“That’s err… wow…”

The feedback on YouTube is a ‘thumbs down’ rating of 79% (as of 03-Dec-2012) and 4 of the 5 comments negative (the 5th is asking for the name of the music used in the video).

“Sorry I’ll be at my daddy’s steakhouse and not looking like I escaped from some fetish porn”

However, a little online research shows that people do like the American branches of this steakhouse, so maybe their steak is better (or better targeted) than their marketing. Maybe it was a strategy to get Londoners talking about them. Maybe they’re trying to appeal to Londoners in exactly the same way they successfully marketed to Americans… Whatever the case it might be best to judge them on their steak!

Thank you for taking the time to acknowledge our campaign; we look forward to you visiting our restaurant soon. Give me a shout when you do want to dine so we can book you in as our restaurant diary is full for the foreseeable future.

Haha my reaction why are they spraying HAIR SPRAY near the food and drink? There’s no way I want to eat/drink anything now. It would also be coated in sparkly confetti and that simply doesn’t get my appetite going.